Rain fails to dampen protesters in Haiti demanding security amid gang crisis

Torrential rain may have washed out the main protest planned for Thursday, but it didn’t stop a determined group of Haitians from taking to the streets of the capital to demand protection from the gangs that have seized control of much of the country.

Dozens of demonstrators burned tires, blocked roads, and carried signs through waterlogged streets in Port-au-Prince, undeterred by the weather.

While the protest had been expected to draw thousands, the main gathering was canceled due to heavy rainfall. Still, the defiant presence of protesters underscored the mounting frustration among Haitians living under the daily threat of violence.

Armed police officers were seen near the protest sites, but they did not intervene.

Two weeks earlier, a protest in the same area attracted thousands and ended in clashes, with police firing tear gas and smoke grenades to prevent marchers from approaching the office of Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, the prime minister appointed in November by Haiti’s transitional presidential council.

Public anger continues to grow as gangs tighten their grip on the capital—now controlling an estimated 85% of Port-au-Prince—looting communities and displacing thousands.

In response, Haiti’s government this week announced a “war budget” of $275,000 to address the country’s escalating crisis. Nearly 40% of the funds will be allocated to bolstering the police and military forces in a bid to reclaim territory from armed groups.

Another 20% is earmarked for fortifying the country’s border with the Dominican Republic, while 16% will go to social services, including education, healthcare, and humanitarian relief.

But for many on the ground, the announcement offers little immediate relief.

“We can’t wait for promises while gangs terrorize our neighborhoods,” said one protester. “We need protection now, not tomorrow.”

With Haiti’s security situation rapidly deteriorating, and its political future uncertain, the unrest on the streets of Port-au-Prince signals that public patience is wearing thin.